Card holder



Oct. 27, 1942.

A. BARTON CARD HOLDER Filed March 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l I aviator uQrWafid 5x750 Jifarzzc Oct. 27, 1942. A. BAR-TON I 2,300,333 I Filed March 15 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARD HOLDER,

Armand Barton, Chicago, Ill., assignor of one-'- 7 half to Louis Vulcan, Chicago, Ill.

ApplicatiomMarch 15, 1941, Serial No. 383,498

4 Claims.

. The invention relates to a holding device for playing cards, whereby a number of cards are held in spacedirelation.

"It is an object of the invention to provide a device for holding the dummy hand so that only one player can view the hand.

A further object constitutes the provision of a card rack in which only a corner of the card is exposed to view.

A still further object comprises the provision of means for conveniently ejecting cards from the rack.

With these and many other objects in vie-w, which will become apparent from a perusal of the invention, the latter comprises the means described in the following specification, particularly pointed out in the claims forming a part thereof, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device for holding cards constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view,

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view with a portion broken away to disclose interior construction,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a variant form,

Fig. 6 is a side view thereof,

Fig. '7 is a top plan view of a simplified form of my card rack,

Fig. 8 is an elevational view, and

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99 of Fig. 8.

Referring to the several views in the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, the rack comprises a hollow base generally designated by 10 having end walls II, a front wall l2, a rear wall IS, a top wall 14, and a bottom wall 15. A felt layer I6 is applied to the bottom wall to prevent marring of tables or desks when the device is moved thereon.

The rack proper comprises a block or body portion I! which, at the rear, abuts an enlargement l8 of the top wall and is secured to the base it! by screws H).

The body portion tapers downwardly from the rear to the front and is provided with a plurality of slots equidistantly spaced throughout the body portion. Each slot 2!! originates at the front of the body portion and extends to a point short of the rear side. The slots also extend from the top of the body portion to a point near the bottom.

The slots thus provide a plurality of compartments each designed for the reception of a playing 'card '2 |,:so that when the cards: are arranged in the compartments, 'they'protrude slightly above the body portion to expose'to view the upper portion thereof.

The slots are provided to form an acuteangle with the rear of the body 7 portion, preferably about so that the. upper portion of each of the cards is only visible to a single player.

Adjacent one end of the body portion an upright flange 22 (Fig. 2) is provided which is adapted to hold a score card 23. If desired, a cardboard may be inserted to act as a shield for completely hiding the cards from the opponent's view.

For the purpose of conveniently removing the cards an ejector is provided for each compartment.

As shown, slots 24, corresponding in number to the slots 20, are provided in the front wall 12 of the 'base and a lever 25, fulcrumed on a 1ongitudinal rod 26, extends through each slot beyond the front wall and is provided with a knob 2'! for manipulation. The inner end of each lever is secured to a vertical rod 30 extending through a port 28. A spring 29 is interposed between the underside of the body portion and a collar 3| on the rod to keep the lever normally in inoperative position. Upon depressing the knob 21, the rod 30 is forced upwardly and causes the card in the appertaining slot to be ejected, whereupon it may be conveniently grasped.

The rack shown in Figs. 1 to 4 expose the corners of the cards to a person sitting to the right thereof. The embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is constructed to expose the cards to a person sitting to the left thereof and presents to view the lower corners of the cards.

The rack, generally indicated by 35, is substantially the same as the first described embodiment except that the slots in the body portion 36 slant in a direction forming an obtuse angle with the rear of the body portion.

Each wall 31, defining a slot or compartment, has a cut away portion 38 so that the lower outer corner of each card is exposed to one player and only portions of the back of the cards are visible to the other players.

A vertical bar 39 is lightly spaced from the adjacent end of the body portion to permit the insertion of a score card (not shown). The means for ejecting cards are identical with those described in connection with the first embodiment.

A simplified form is shown in Figs. 7 to 9. Here a hollow base 40 is provided having a compartment 4| open at the rear side for the insertion and storing of playing cards. The base has in its marginal solid portion a vertical bore 42 for the reception of a pencil (not shown). 7

A body portion 43 is formed integral with the base and has compartments; or slots 44. The body portion and its compartments are of similar construction and arrangement as indicated in the first described embodiment.

While the drawings show preferred embodiments of the invention, numerous changes may be made within the purview of the invention. I, therefore, do not limit myself to the details of construction and arrangement, as shown, but

a corner of said cards to the view of a single player, said compartments being of a depth slightly less than the width of the cards and having walls of slightly less height than the length of the cards.

2. A card holder including a body portion,

a plurality of compartments in said body portion open at the top and adapted to hold cards in vertical parallel position, said compartments being of a depth slightly less than the width of the cards and having walls of slightly less height than the length of the cards, and means for ejecting said cards from said compartments.

3. A card holder including a body portion, a plurality of spaced narrow compartments therein open at the top and extending in parallel relation and forming an acute angle with the longitudinal central plane of said body partion, said compartments being of a depth slightly less than the width of the cards and having walls of slightly less height than the length of the cards.

f1. A card holder including a body portion, a plurality of spaced narrow compartments therein open at the top and extending in parallel relation and forming an acute angle with the longitudinal central plane of said body portion, said compartments being of a depth slightly less than the width of the cards and having walls of slightly less height than the length of the cards, and means for, ejecting said cards from said compartments. 7

ARMAND BARTON. 

